Automatic disconnect for a vehicular battery

ABSTRACT

An automatic battery disconnecting device for vehicles comprising a hollow, non-conducting housing containing a pivotally mounted pendulum member temporarily supporting a spring-biased pin in an upright operative position, and having a contact member in conducting, bridging engagement with the bottom of two terminals which project through the top of the housing, the terminals being connected in series with the battery of the electrical system of a vehicle. The pendulum members supports the pin in such a manner as to separate from the pin upon an excessive swing of the member, thus allowing the pin to be urged downward by the spring, causing the pin to come to an inoperative position with the contact member being disengaged from the terminals, thereby opening the electrical circuit of the vehicle. The pendulum member would undergo an excessive swing whenever the vehicle, in which the invention is mounted, suddenly experiences an impact or collision. The pin is provided with reset means for reengaging the pin with the pendulum member so as to return the pin to its operative position with the contact member again in conducting engagement with the terminals, closing the electrical circuit within the vehicle. The invention prevents electrical fires due to short circuits whenever the vehicle undergoes any of the above conditions.

0 United States Patent [151 3,703,617 Burnett [4 1 Nov. 21, 1972 [541 iAUTOMATIC DISCONNECT FOR A' v I [57] ABSTRACT VEHICULAR BATTERY 1 v Anautomatic battery disconnecting device for vehi- [72] Inventor: MarvinD. Burnett, Route 2, cles comprising a hollow, non-conducting housingAlpharetta, Ga. 30201 containinga pivotally mounted pendulum membertemporarily supporting a spring-biased pin in an [22] Filed 1970 uprightoperative position, and having a contact [21] Appl. No.: 81,225 memberin conducting, bridging engagement with the bottom of two terminalswhich project through the top 1 of the housing, the terminals beingconnected in series [52] U.S. Cl. ..200/6L5, 180/104 with thevbattery ofthe electrical System of a vehicle lift. Cl. The pendulum members pp thein such a [58] Field of Search ..180/104, 200/615, 161 manner as toSeparate f om the pin upon an excessive I swing of the member, thusallowing the pin to be [56] References C'ted urged downward by thespring, causing the pin to UNITED STATES PATENTS come to an inoperativeposition with the contact member being disengaged from the terminals,thereby 3,022,392 2/ 1962 Clemson ..200/61.5 opening the electricalcircuit of the vehicle. The pen- 3,180,524 4/1965 Shepard et al ..222/5dulum member would undergo an excessive swing 2,860,213 11/1958 McNamara..200/161 whenever the vehicle, in which the invention is 3,509,8945/1970 Brooke ..180/104 X ou te ddenly experiences an impact orcollision. 2,236,872 4/ 1941 Grigsby ..200/61.5 The pin is provided withreset means for reengaging 2,778,896 1/1957 Tollefsen ..200/61.5 the pwith the pendulum member so as to return the 1,411,298 4/1922 Osborn..180/104 x P to its operative Position with the eentaet member2,796,479 6/1957 Walkup ..200/61.5 again in conducting engagement withthe terminals,

' closing the electrical circuit within the vehicle. The in- FOREIGNPATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS vention prevents electrical fires due to shortcircuits 499,274 1/1954 Canada ..180/104 35: the "ehlcle undergm anyabve 423,191 1/1935 Great Britain ..180/104 736,180 1932 France..200/61.5 1 115, Drawing Figures Primary Examiner-Robert J. SparAttorney--Newton, Hopkins & Ormsby 43 a; 43 0 30 29 29 2a 2a 27 d2 42 g226 I3 I 25 L ll l0 l6 PATENTEDnnvznarz Y 3.7031517 FIG 1 I NVENTOR.

l lrromvzzs AUTOMATIC DISCONNECT FOR A VEHICULAR BATTERY BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to a vehicular circuit-breakingdevice and more particularly to an automatic battery disconnect devicefor a vehicle which instantaneously operates when the vehicleexperiences an impact or collision, thus preventing electrical fires dueto short circuits.

- Automatic devices for disconnecting the electrical circuits of avehicle from its battery when the vehicle is involved in a collisionhave been developed in the past. By design and operation, however, thesemechanisms have proved to be unreliable in their use and susceptible tomalfunctions. This was because most of these devices employed systemsinvolving complicated mechanical linkages and electrical circuits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention, asdisclosed in the abstract hereof, includes a non-conducting closedhollow housing provided at one end with a pair of spaced terminals.These terminals are in series in the main circuit of a battery in theelectrical system of the automobile. An electrically conducting flat,discshaped resilient contact member is adapted to short across or closethecircuit between the two terminals when it is moved into contacttherewith, the contact member being moveable to a disconnected positionin spaced relationship to both terminals.

The contact member is radially disposed on and carried by a moveableshaft or pin passing through the central portion of the contact member.The outer end of the pin is slideably journalled in the housing andprojects outwardly of the housing, being provided, externally of thehousing with a transverse or radially "extending reset handle. Withinthe housing is a helical or coiled spring surrounding the pin, with thehousing and the contact member. The spring yieldably urges or biases thecontact member to its open position and a retaining ring riding in aperipheral groove in the central portion of the pin, limits inwardmovement of the contact member with respect to the pin.

The lower end portion of the pin projects'into the central part of thecanty of the housing and is provided at its lower extremity with aconcave recess.

A partition or ledge in the central part of the housing below or spacedfrom-the end of the pin supports, for universal-movement, a rigidpendulum member. The pendulum member includes a rigid shaft projectingthrough a pivot ball carried by the partition. The innermost-end of thisshaft in the recess of the pin when the axes of the shaft and pin arealigned. The outermost or bottommost end of the shaft is provided with aweight. When the weight is at rest, the axes of the inner or upper endportion of the shaft and pin are aligned so that the shaft supports thepin in a position seating the contact member on the two terminals forclosing the circuit therebetween.

The initial seating and subsequent reseating of the pin recess on theend of the shaft is accomplished by withdrawing the handle sufficientlyto compress the coiled spring and also flex the contactmembersufficiently to withdraw the recess slightly from the end of the shaftso that the shaft is brought by gravity acting on the weight intoalignment with the pin. Thereafter, the handle is released and thecoiled spring will urge the recess to its seated position. Thedimensions are such, however, that this slight movement to a seatedposition will not be sufficient to open the circuit created by thecontact member, the contact member simply flexing on the terminals forthe movement.

When the handle is withdrawn completely, it can be rotated so that aradially projecting finger is moved into overlying relation tothehousing. Such rotation locks the contact member in its closedposition.

A bracket mounts the housing in an upright position 'so that when set,any appreciable lateral shockwill pivot the pendulum and thereby releasethe pin from its seated position so that the coiled spring urges the pinand contact member inwardly of the housing to open the circuit. i

It is therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide abattery disconnecting device that will automatically open the vehicleselectrical circuitry when the vehicle is in an accident, therebypreventing electrical fires due to short circuits.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a vehicular circuitbreaker which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture anddurable in itsconstruction, and reliable in its use. f

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a automaticbattery disconnect device which employs a minimum of moving parts, iscompact in size, and can be readily installed in any vehicle.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the fol lowing description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters ofreference designate corresponding part throughout the several views. e

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THEINVENTION Referring now in detail to the embodiment chosen for thepurpose of illustrating the present invention, numeral 10 denotesgenerally the automatic vehicular battery disconnecting device depictedin FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

This device 10 includes a substantially hollow housing 11 which iscomprised of a lower portion 12 and an upper portion 13. The housing 11is constructed of an electrically insulating material such as plastic orhard rubber. The lower portion 12 includes a flat circular base 14having an upstanding cylindrical wall 15 connected around the peripheryof the base 14. The wall 15 terminates in an inwardly tapering section16 which terminates with a vertical exteriorally threaded annular lip17. With the lower portionl2 of the housing 11 and located at thejunction of the top of the tapering section 16 and the bottom of the lip17, there is connected a horizontally extending pivotal shelf 18.Located in the center of the pivotal shelf 18 is a concave, recessedhole 19 which functions as a socket in which the pendulum member 20 issupported up from the surface of base 14.

The pendulum member 20 is a non-conducting member and comprises at itsbottom end a heavy weight 21,.preferably a large ball as shown in FIGS.1 and 2 constructed of some hard plastic or non-conducting metal. Theweight 21 is of such a diameter so as to allow the pendulum member 20 toundergo an excessive swing within the lower portion 12 without firstcontacting the interior surface of wall 15.

Extending upwardly from the weight 21 is a tubular connecting member 22which terminates at the bottom of the hole 19 with a bulbous pivotalmember 23. The bulbous member 23 is of such a diameter so as to restwithin the hole 19, thus supporting the pendulum member 20 in an uprightposition. The bulbous member 23 has a smooth, outer surface to allow itto be in cooperative engagement .with the surface of the concave hole19. The bulbous member 23 and the concave hole 19 allow thependulummember 20 tofreely swing or pivot in any direction.

Upwardly projecting from the bulbous member 23 is a rigid, tubularsupport member 24 of pendulum member 20. The support member 24 extendsinto the upper portion 13 of the housing 11 and terminates with arounded tip 25.

The upper portion 13 consists of an upstanding, cylindrical wall 26 withthreads extending along a portion of the bottom inside surface of thewall 26 so as to threadily receive the threaded annular lip 17 of thebottom portion 12 of the. housing 11. The diameter of wall 26is of asmaller diameter than the wall of the lower portion 12. The wall 26terminates with the top 27 of the housing 11,the top 27 being a flatcircular member with three cylindrically shaped vertical protrusionsthrough its surface.

Two of these protrusions are terminal housings 28 consisting ofupstanding hollow cylindrical walls 29 which communicate with theinterior of the upper portion 13 of the housing 11. Annular, outwardlyprojecting flanges 30 extend about the top end of housing 28.

Located in the center of the top 27 and between terminal housings 28 isan outwardly extending, journal member 31 which is hollow andcylindrical in shape. Journal member 31 is of a greater height thanterminal housings 28 and terminates with a flat top 32. A hole 33extends through the member 31 and communicates with the interior of theupper portion 13.

Extending through hole 33 and into the interior of the housing 11 is aspring-biased pin 34. Pin 34 is a nonconducting, one piece member havinga transverse reset handle 35 connected to it at its outer end which isexterior of the housing 11. The other end of the pin 34 is locatedwithin the interior of the upper portion 13 and has a small aperture 36located at its rounded tip. The tip 25 of the support member 24 ispositioned within the aperture 36 when the pin 34 is in its opera? tiveposition. The pin 34 has a horizontally projecting stud or finger 37positioned on it so that when the pin 34 is in its operative position,the stud 37 is in alignment with the top 32 of the journal 31 and inalignment with a groove 38. The groove 38 extends vertically through thejournal 31 and terminates forward of the top of the spring cavity 39.Spring cavity 39 is a cylindrical recess within depression 31 whichoutwardly opens into the interior of the upper portion 13 of housing 11.

Positioned within the spring cavity 39 around the pin 34 is a spring 40.The spring 40-is secured into position at one end by the top of thespring cavity 39 and at its other end by the contact member 41.

Contact member 41 is a flat, flexible or resilient, disc-shaped,electrically conducting plate which is circumferentially displaced in ahorizontal position about a portion of pin 34. A contact member 41 is ofsuch a diameter so as simultaneously to conductively engage the contactheads 42 of the terminals bolts 43. A retainer ring 55 received inaperipheral groove in pin 34 prevents downward movement of the contactmember 41 on pin 34.

The contact heads 42 are electrically conducting flange-like memberswhich are of a slightly larger diameter than terminal housings 28.Terminal bolts 43 are electrically conducting and project upwardlythrough the terminal housings 28 with the portions which are theexterior of the terminal housings 28 being threaded so as to receive thenuts 44. The nuts 44 secure cable leads on the terminal bolts 43 andonto the tops 30 of the terminal housings 28. Thecable leads 45 areconnected to cables 46 which are either the cable on the battery itselfor cables which lead into the battery cable.

The housing 12 is supported by the body of a vehicle in an uprightposition. A bracket B and bolts 50 passing through base 14 secure thehousing 12 in place while bolts 51 secure the bracket B to the vehicle.

OPERATION As shown in FIG. 3, the automatic vehicular batterydisconnecting device 10 is mounted in a vehicle along cable 46 betweenthe battery 47 and the vehicles electrical circuitry, shownschematically as numeral 48. Preferably the device 10 is connected alongthe positive or hot cable of battery 47. Cable 49 leading from theelectrical circuit 48 is connected to the other terminal of the battery47, thus completing'the vehicles electrical circuit. The device 10 canbe mounted within the vehicle by any suitable means, usually by abracket B as described above.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the pin 34 is in its operative position,indicated with heavy lines, when it is supported by pendulum member 20.With the pendulum member 20 and the pin 34 in vertical alignment, thetip 25 of the support member 24 is positioned within the aperture orrecess 36 of the pin 34, thus upwardly urging the spring-loaded pin 34with the contact member 41 conductively engaging the contact heads 42 ofthe terminal bolts 43. With the pin 34 in its operative position, thecontact member 41 freely conducts the electrical current from oneterminal bolt 43 to the other, closing the electrical circuit within thevehicle.

If the vehicle in which the invention is mounted is suddenlydecelerated, experiences an impact or collision, or otherwise severelyvibrated or jolted, the weight 21 of the pendulum member 20 will undergoan excessive swing within lower portion 12 along arrow A. The design ofthe socket 19,.bulbous member 23, tip 25, and aperture 36 are such thatirregardless from what'direction the vehicle is hit or if it hitsanother obheads 42, and assuming position 141. The electrical circuit ofthe vehicle is thereby opened with the possibility of an electrical fireoccuring because of short circuits in any part of the electrical systembeing almost eliminated. When the pin 34 projects downward to position134, the stud 37 moves down the groove 38 to its bottom, assumingposition 137. The stud 137 stops the downward moving of the pin 34before the tip of the pin 34 touches and possibly damages the bulbousmember 23, but the stud 37 allows the pin 34 to be urged downward enoughso that contact member 41 becomes disengaged from the contact heads 42.With the pin 34 in its inoperative position 134, the support member 124rests against the bottom of pin 134.

The device may be reset to close the vehicles electrical circuitry intwo different ways. In the first, the operator pulls the reset handle 35upward as the reset handle 35 is pulled upwardly, the pin 34 rises fromits inoperative position 134' with the contact member 41 againencountering the contact heads 42 of the terminal bolts 43. To allow thependulum member 120 to resume its position in vertical alignment withthe pin 34, the tip of pin 34 must be raised slightly above the tip ofthe support member 24. The resilient contact member 41 allows thisoperation to be accomplished by bending upwardly as the pin 34 is pulledup slightly more until the pendulum member 20 regains its verticalposition under pin 34. When the reset handle 35 is released, the pin 34again comes to rest on the support member 24 of the pendulum member 20with the tip 25 reengaging the aperture 36 of the pin 34. The contactmember 41 again becomes in conducting bridging engagement with thecontact heads 42. The vehicles electrical circuit is thus closed and thevehicle may now be operated.

The other reset method is used when the vehicle is on an incline,preventing the pendulum member 20 from returning to a vertical position.In this situation, the operator pulls the reset handle 35 upwardly untilthe stud 37 is in alignment with the top 32 of the depression 31. Thehandle 35 is then rotated in either direction to remove the stud 37 fromalignment with the groove 38. The operator allows the stud 37 to rest onthe top 32 of the journal 31 for maintaining the pin 34 in its operativeposition. Since the contact member 41 is of a circular design, it isalways in conducting engagement with the contacts heads 42 irregardlessof where the stud is positioned on the top 32. When the vehicle againassumes level ground, the operator may then rotate the reset handle 35until the stud 37 is in alignment with the groove 38. The pin 34 willthen be in its normal operative position.

As can be seen, therefore, the device 10 provides a means for rapidlydisconnecting a battery due to-the fact that the contact member 41 isnot carried by the pendulum member 20 but is carried by the pin 34. Ifthe contact member 41 is directlyconnected to the pendulum member 20,the contact member 41 would slowly be disengaged from the terminal bolts43 as the pendulum 41 began to swing. This would allow a greater chancefor arcing, increasing the risk of a fire. This construction would notafford as quick a disconnection as the disclosed embodiment.

Also due to the construction of the device 10, the contact member 41will not be disengaged from the terminal bolts 43 if the vehicle inwhich the device 10 is mounted assumes a position other than horizontal.The contact member 41 will be in its operative position irregardless ofwhether the vehicle is proceeding along a level road or going up or downa hill. The device 10 will not be activated unless the vehicleexperiences a jolt or shock as experienced in a wreck. With the springstrongly urging the pin 34 downward upon the pendulum member 20 it takenan excessive jolt to operate the device 10.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understoodfrom the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changesmay be made in the form, construction, arrangement of parts, andoperaspirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing its materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore described and illustrated in thedrawing being merely the preferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim:

1. An automatic battery disconnecting device for connection withthebattery in an electrical circuit of a vehicle for automaticallyopening the circuit when the vehicle receives an impact, comprising:

a. a hollowhousing having an upper portion and a lower portion, saidupper portion being cylindrical and being threadedly engaged by one endwith said lower portion, said upper portion having a top closing saidother end;

b. shelf means separating said upper and lower portion; said shelf meansbeing provided with a central socket; i

c. a pendulum member including a weight within said lower portion and arigid connecting member projecting from said weight through said socketand terminating in an upper end within said upper portion;

d. a bulbous member intermediate the-ends of said connecting member insaid upper portion and riding upon the upper surface of said socket forlimiting downwardly movement of said pendulum member, said bulbousmember and said socket permitting said weight to swing;

e. a pair of spaced electrical terminals projecting through said upperportion and terminating adjacent said top;

f. a contact member within said upper portion for making an electricalcircuit between said terminals when said contact member is contactingboth of said terminals;

g. an axially moveable pin projecting through said top for carrying saidcontact member, the lower end of said pin when said pin is in its upperposition, being adapted to rest upon and be supported by said upper endof said connecting member such that said contact member is contactingboth said terminals; and

h. spring means for urging said pin and said contact member towardsaidsocket for moving said contact member away from said terminals when saidlower end of said pin is not resting on said upper end of saidconnecting member.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said contact member is aflat flexible disc and said contact member and said pin are sodimensional that said contact member is flexed by contact with saidterminals 8 when it is contacting said terminals and said pin is restingupon the upper end of said connecting member.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 including a handle on the end ofsaid pin for moving the same and rotating it axially, a radiallyextending stud projecting from said pin and wherein said top is providedwith an axially extending groove within which said stud rides when saidpin is moved axially and a top portion for receiving said stud when saidpin is in its upper position and said pin is rotated to-misalign saidstud with said groove.

1. An automatic battery disconnecting device for connection with thebattery in an electrical circuit of a vehicle for automatically openingthe circuit when the vehicle receives an impact, comprising: a. a hollowhousing having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portionbeing cylindrical and being threadedly engaged by one end with saidlower portion, said upper portion having a top closing said other end;b. shelf means separating said upper and lower portion; said shelf meansbeing provided with a central socket; c. a pendulum member including aweight within said lower portion and a rigid connecting memberprojecting from said weight through said socket and terminating in anupper end within said upper portion; d. a bulbous member intermediatethe ends of said connecting member in said upper portion and riding uponthe upper surface of said socket for limiting downwardly movement ofsaid pendulum member, said bulbous member and said socket permittingsaid weight to swing; e. a pair of spaced electrical terminalsprojecting through said upper portion and terminating adjacent said top;f. a contact member within said upper portion for making an electricalcircuit between said terminals when said contact member is contactingboth of said terminals; g. an axially moveable pin projecting throughsaid top for carrying said contact member, the lower end of said pinwhen said pin is in its upper position, being adapted to rest upon andbe supported by said upper end of said connecting member such that saidcontact member is contacting both said terminals; and h. spring meansfor urging said pin and said contact member toward said socket formoving said contact member away from said terminals when said lower endof said pin is not resting on said upper end of said connectingmember.
 1. An automatic battery disconnecting device for connection withthe battery in an electrical circuit of a vehicle for automaticallyopening the circuit when the vehicle receives an impact, comprising: a.a hollow housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upperportion being cylindrical and being threadedly engaged by one end withsaid lower portion, said upper portion having a top closing said otherend; b. shelf means separating said upper and lower portion; said shelfmeans being provided with a central socket; c. a pendulum memberincluding a weight within said lower portion and a rigid connectingmember projecting from said weight through said socket and terminatingin an upper end within said upper portion; d. a bulbous memberintermediate the ends of said connecting member in said upper portionand riding upon the upper surface of said socket for limiting downwardlymovement of said pendulum member, said bulbous member and said socketpermitting said weight to swing; e. a pair of spaced electricalterminals projecting through said upper portion and terminating adjacentsaid top; f. a contact member within said upper portion for making anelectrical circuit between said terminals when said contact member iscontacting both of said terminals; g. an axially moveable pin projectingthrough said top for carrying said contact member, the lower end of saidpin when said pin is in its upper position, being adapted to rest uponand be supported by said upper end of said connecting member such thatsaid contact member is contacting both said terminals; and h. springmeans for urging said pin and said contact member toward said socket formoving said contact member away from said terminals when said lower endof said pin is not resting on said upper end of said connecting member.2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said contact member is aflat flexible disc and said contact member and said pin are sodimensional that said contact member is flexed by contact with saidterminals when it is contacting said terminals and said pin is restingupon the upper end of said connecting member.